Fuse for explosive projectiles.



H. WILSON & M A. LYNCH. FUSE POB. BXPLOSIVE PBOJ'EUTILES.

APPLIoATIy NLB AUG. 2a. 1904.

972,425. Patented 0111.111910.

Milly 'flulllu Umane STATES ramena ion-nien.

'HARRY WILSON ANDYMICHAFL A. LYNCHVOF VIAESHSIN(r'll'ON, DISTRICT .OF COLUMBIA,

ASSLGNORS TO BETHLEHEM STEEL 'COMPANY,-0FSOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

fFUSE FOR EXPLOSIVE 'PROJECTILES Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

IApplication led Angust, 1904. Serial No. 221,872.

To all whom concern:

Be it'knownthat we, HARRY "'WILsoN and MICHAEL A. LYNCH, eitizensof'the United States, resdingat Washington, in the District of Columbiafhaveinventcd certain new and useful Improvements in Fuses for 'Eirplosive Projectlles, of which the following 1s a s ecilication.

ur invention relates-*to that class of fuses generally known as"combinationfuses in which the detonation is-accomplishedeither bythe firing of -a time-'fuse or upon impact of the projectile or'shell.

AThe 'invention consists in combining. with the time-fuse'a 'percussion-fuse for detonating the explosive charge ofthe projectile upon fimpact; and the 'invention also consists of the novel construction, arrangement Yand .combination of the various parts, -as will be -hereinafter described and pointed out in thefclaims.

The object of the 'invention is to produce a simple and eifective combination fuse which when placed in a projectile will allow such projectile to b e handled with absolute safety and yet insure when t-he gun is fired ",certain detonation of the explosive char e at a predetermined'timeorupon impact o the projectile against a targetor other object.

Other objectsof the invention willbecome apparent upon a more detailed description thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view'of our improved combination-fuse, the several parts being represented in their normal or safe position; Fig. 2 is a like view showing the position assumed by the 'several arts preceding the detonation of the timeuse; Fig. 3 is a like View showingthe position of the several parts upon detonation of the time-fuse. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the lline a-a of Fig. l looking rearwardly; the primer support E being shown in armed position in dotted lines and Fig. 5 is 'a front end view of the fuse.

In the several figures A indicates the fuse casing which in this particular instance constitutes the nose of the projectile, although tle fuse may be constructed independently of the projectile and inserted therein by means of the usual' threaded casing. A threaded annular ring B is inserted in the rear of the fuse 'casing and secures in'place a disk Ccarrying lcentrally thereof a tubular arm C1 which extends through the disk C. A wad or thin-disk D is secured between the ring B and the body of the shell and the spacebetween the ring B, disk C and wad 'D 'is filled with powder to form the maga'- zine-'of the'fuse. A primer support E is 'pivoted Ito the arm C1 and a. spring E1 tends to rotate said support'to the position shown in Figs. 2 and?) and in the dotted vlines in Fig 4; the free ends of said spring bearing respectively against the pin C2 on` the'ftla'sk C 'and the primer support. A hole E2 in the primer support registers with a holeC3 the disk C leading to the magazine 'when the parts assume their armed position (-see Figs. 2 and' 3). Mounted in the fuse body A is a hollow casing F carry ing therein a yhollow tiring-pin G which is provdedwith'a firing point G1 situated ott center. The firing pin G has its closed end counterboredso as *to receive a portion of ythe primer support E for the 'purpose of firing-pin with their conical point. The,

bolts yF1 have their'outer ends resting in the outer ends of said vchannels terminating in the recesses A2.

A liquid speed governor is utilized to control the rapidity of the movement of the casing F under the influence of the Ispring H. Said governor comprises a reservoir K for liquid constructed of any suitable material preferably thin pliable metal or stout 100 rubber and is mounted between the closed end of the casing F and a disk L which is =held in the fuse casing by a plug M. An opening K1 in the reservoir registers with a central hole L1 in the disk L and a suitable 105 vulve L2 is seated over the hole L1 to regu 'longitudinal channels A1 in the fuse casing;

tion late the flow of liquid from the reservoir when the same is under pressure. The escapement of the liquid from the reservoir is controlled by the valve L2 through the -medium of the threaded screw M1 in the plug M. Said screw is provided with an eularged toothed head M2, which is adapted to be held from movement by engagement with the pawl M3 mounted on the plug M. A

receiving reservoir MA1 is formed by the an nular counterbore of the plug M `and^is adapted to connect with the reservoir K through the run-out M5 when the valve L2 is open. It will be apparent that the valve L2 can be readily adjusted for any desired the bolt andthe nut A5 screwed into the fuse Casing. -The outer end of the bolt is extended beyond the fuse casing a distance e ual to the greatest diameter of the shell, wqhereby any tendency of said bolt to move due to centrifugal force before the shell leaves the' gun is prevented.

- Havin fully Adescribed the structure of that portlon of our invention relating to the timefuse we will now recite its operation, which is as follows: Before the shell is placed-in the gun-the valve L2 is set through thermedium of the screw M1 to permit a desired escapement of liquid from the reservoir K. The desired escapement in each instance i's such as will permit the casing F` to move under the influence of the spring H a distance suii'cient tobring the bolts F1 into register with the recesses A2 and thereby release the firing pin G to the influence of the spring J at a predetermined moment. Assuming therefore that the valve. L2 is set for a desired escapment of liquid from the reservoir and the various parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1. Immediately the 'shell is fired from the gun Centrifugal force due to the rotation of the` shell causes the bolt A2 to ily outwardlyand release the casing F- to the influence of the spring H. Said casing will then move forward carrying wit-l1 it the firing-pin Gr until the bolts F1 register with the recesses A2, when said bolts will fly into said recesses owing to the combined influence of centrifugal force and the resulting cam action between their inner ends and the firing-pin G, and thereby release the firing-pin G to the immediate influence4 ofthe spring J which will result in said firing-pin moving rearwardly and detonating the primer and exploding th e magazine. Saidprimer has in the meantime assumed the position shown in Fig. 2 owing to the disengagement of the primer support from the firing-pin because of the forward movement of the firing pin G in conjunction with the casing F under the influence ofthe spring Hand the combined action of Ithe spring E1 and centrifugal force. The exact position of the primer support E shown in Fig. 2 is determined by engagement of the supportwith the stop pin C* on the disk C. It will thus be apparent that to produce a detonation of the fuse at av predetermined time it is only necessar to allow such an escapement of the liquid rom the reservoir K as will permit the casing F to move a sufficient distance to release the firing pin G at a given moment?.

We embody the percussion feature in our fuse by the employment of a plunger N mounted on the arm C1 of the disk C and having a central powder' chamber N1 leading from the primer N2 to the powder chamber in the arm C1. A tiring point`F2 is mounted centrally of the closed end of the casing F for Contact with the primer N2 on impact.4 The plunger is normally held from forward movement by the projectinv shoulder N3 which engages with the centrifugally operated locking bolt Ffinounted in the casing F. It |will thus be apparent that under normal conditions the plunger N is held against forward movement by engagement' with the bolt F2 but when the shell is fired from the gun centrifugal force causes thev bolt F1 vto move outwardly and the plunger is then free to move forward upon impact andcause the primer N2 to contact with the tiring point F2. When it is desired to utilize our invention as a percussion fuse the escape of liquid from the lreservoiry K is entirely cut olf and the time-fuse thereby rendered inoperative.

We claim:

l. In a fuse the combination of a fuse casing, a primer, a'detonator adapted to be automatically moved in one direction upon discharge and means operating at a predetermined point in said movement to move the ing, adetonator and a primer normally out of alinement and alined with each other during flight of the projectile and automaticmeans operating at a predetermined time to move said detonator into contact with the primer. l

4. In a fuse the combination of a fuse casing, a primer, a detonator normally locked against movement towardthe primer, means constantly tending to contact the detonator with the primer, means for automatically moving =the detonator in one direction upon discharge and means operating at a predetermined point in said movement to release the detonator.

5. In a fuse the combination of a fuse casing, a detonator, a primer normally out of alinemcnt with said detonator and alined therewith during flight of the projectile and automatic means operating at a predetermined time to move said detonator into contact with the primer.

G. In a fuse, the combination of a fuse casing, a. primer, primer-exploding means car: rying a detonating element and adapted to be moved in one direction during lllght of the projectile and means 0 eratingupon a predetermined movement o the primer-exploding means to move the detonating element in the opposite direction.

7. In a fuse, the combination of a fuse casing, a primer, primer-exploding means carrying a detonating element and adapted to be automatically moved in one direction dur- ,ing flight of the projectile and means operating upon a predetermined movement of the primer-exploding means t'o move the detonating element in the opposite direction. 8. In a fuse the combination of a fuse casing, a primer, primer-exploding means carrying a detonator, said primerexploding means and detonating element being adapted to be moved in unison in one direction during flight, means operating at a predetermined point in said movement to move the detonating clement in the opposite direction and means for controlling the rapidit v ot the united movement ot the primer-exploding means and detonating element.

9. In a fuse, the combination of a fuse casing, a primer, primer-exploding means carrying a detonating element and adapted to be moved in one direction to release the det onating element and means tor thereupon moving the dctonating element. in the opposite. direction.

l0. In a fuse, the combination 'ot' a fuse casing, a primer, primer-exploding means carrying a detonating element, and adapted to be moved in one direction during tlight, means operating at a predetermined pointl in ,said movement. to torce the detonating element in the opposite direction and means for controlling the rapidity of said movement of the primer-exploding means.

11. In fuse the combination oi. a fuse casing, a prim'er, a detonator normally locked against movement, means operative upon flight of the projectile formoving the detonator in one direction and means operating at a predetermined point in said movement for thereupon forcing the dcto'nator in the, opposite direction to strike the primer.

12. In a fuse the combination of a casing, a primer, a detonator, automatically released means normally locking said detonator inactive, means for moving the detonator When released in one direction and means'operating at a predetermined point in said movement to move the detonator in the opposite direction to explode the primer. 13. In a fuse the combination of a fuse casing, a primer, a dctonator, automatically released means normally looking said detonator inactive, means for moving the detonator when released in one direction, means for controlling the rapidity of such movement and means operating at a predetermined point in said movement whereby said detonator is moved in the opposite direction to explode the primer.

let. In a fuse the combination of a fuse casing, a primer, a detonator, a centrifugally released locking bolt normally holding" the detonator against movement and having its outer end coincident with the surface of the projectile at its greatest diameter, means operative upon flight ot the projectile to move the detonator in one direction and means operating at a predetermined point in said movement for thereupon forcing the detonator in the opposite direction to strike the primer. y

15. In a combined time and percussion fuse the combination ot" a fuse casing, a tiring mechanism consisting of a primer, a detonator, means normally operative upon flight of the projectile for moving the detonator in one direction and means normally operating at a predetermined point in said -movement for thereupon forcing the detonator in the opposite direction, means for positively locking the said tiring mechanism against movement during flight and asccond tiring mechanism consisting of aplunger, tiring pin, a second' pi imer and centrifugally released securing means normally holding said second primer and tiring pin from contact whereby said first tiring mechanism 'is rendered inoperative and said second tiring mechanism rendered operative upon impact.

1G. In a fuse, the combination ot a fuse casing, a primer, primer-cxpim'ling -means adapted to la: antonmlicallv moved 1n one direction after discharge and means operating upon a predetermimal movement' of the primer-exploding means to more same 1n the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY IVILSGN. MICHAEL A. LYNCH.

lVitnc is:

,..AnnNtn F. I`) i:\'orioii, HENRY T. Biucn'r. 

